One for Monsieur Lummox I reckon.

I don't need aircon... Simple as that. It gets used twice a year, and one of those times it doesn't work anyway... because I've not been using it enough....

So, in mechanical terms, what should be done to remove everything A/C related from my car? Not fussed about leaving the AC pipes which go through the engine bay - I'm thinking about things like the AC pump & I "think" there's some form of AC refridgerant part in the dash full of water???

Does removing the pump and the belt on the alternator pose any issues? I assume the roller on the end of the alternator will still spin without a belt actually being attached. What about electrical / sensor issues? (bearing in mind the AC is currently dead anyway due to "high pressure sensor" fault.)

Merci

If you must then id degass the system, remove the condensor at the front of the car, compressor off the engine and unbolt the pipes back up to the expansion valve on the bulkhead and leave it at that. The evaporator that is in the car might aswell stay in the heater box.

You will need to get a shorter aux belt to run the alternator.

You will need to get a shorter aux belt to run the alternator.

This bit confuses me (not hard ) The belt appears to be between the pump and the alternator. If I remove the pump, where will the shorter belt attach to?

I nabbed a piccie of a spares/repairs vRS on Ebay for reference

don't know whether this will help but do any PD engined VAG/Skoda vehicles run with no air con , if they do you will be able to use the belt/tensioner from that

but looking at that pic it might be difficult if not impossible running without an idler pulley instead of the aircon and therefore using the original belt

This bit confuses me (not hard ) The belt appears to be between the pump and the alternator. If I remove the pump, where will the shorter belt attach to?

How do you think the belt is run, pure magic maybe????

The belt also runs around the crank pulley, so it will just go around the crank, tensioner and alternator.

OK. then the system is staying in.

How much is a "high pressure sensor" ??

Last time I went into my dealer to ask for one they insisted I let them plug it into their diagnostics machine first. I know it resides somewhere around/under the fuel filter.

Edit: Just been on to a spares site and it looks like I could get the belt for the ATD engine without aircon. Only around £5 too. Something to mull over during the next couple of days.

Jase, it's no big deal to yank the stuff out and to fit a shorter belt. Let the gas out carefully and then just open all the bits as per Lummox's advice..

BTW shouldn't you be weighing the stuff you leave out?

or at least weighing the mongrel after all is done? (Use bathroom scales!)

Cheers

Bas

How do you know its a fault with the pressure sender?

A pressure sender fault will be logged if there is no gas or an incorrect ammount of gas in the system.

How do you know its a fault with the pressure sender?

A pressure sender fault will be logged if there is no gas or an incorrect ammount of gas in the system.

Just from vag com fault code. I can get the precise code, but it was something along the lines of being a signal fault, and although the AC button lights up, it doesn't do anything airconny. (what a good adjective that is )

Does it have gas in it?

Does it have gas in it?

Well, it has some decent pressure as my mate tweaked the valve thing by the radiator, and it certainly gave a good hiss. I'll get the proper code in a minute or two.

Code is: 00819 High Pressure Sensor (G65) 07-00 Signal too low.

Edit: If this means there's not enough gas in, I may well go ahead with ac removal entirely....

Pressure has nothing to do with gas content.

Pressure has nothing to do with gas content.

I've edited my post above to include the fault code.

That fault does usually come up when the system is low. The AC ECU cant tell if its a fault with the sensor or if there isnt enough in there.

Hmmm, I might take it to a local AC place to at least get them to test the system before I contemplate my next move.

don't know whether this will help but do any PD engined VAG/Skoda vehicles run with no air con , if they do you will be able to use the belt/tensioner from that

but looking at that pic it might be difficult if not impossible running without an idler pulley instead of the aircon and therefore using the original belt

my PD100 golf had no air con :(

If you're not gonna use the aircon +

you want to lose some weight = remove the aircon unit, fit a (shorter) accessory pulley belt designed for a no-aircon fitted car.

No?

No?

Yep.

Easy enough to get a belt. Just measure how long you need the belt to be around the pulleys, go to a motor factors and get one of that length.

It seems easier to use one from an ATD engined fabia, just making sure its the one without aircon. £5 apparently, although not sure if the tensioner will need changing as well, as it's around £30. I don't think it's a service item, so think I can re-use. I also assume this tensioner is located on the alternator not the crank... Would be silly if the crank tensioned.

The tensioner is a seperate unit that runs against the belt.

You would need a different tensioner and the mounting bracket that bolts ot the engine.

Any chance you have part numbers to hand?

looks like part 4 for the belt

and 2 for the tensioner

and 6 for the bracket?